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{No Model.)

I. w. HEDGELAND. ELECTRIC DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING ACTIONS'CIE' MUSICALINSTRUMENTS.

No. 547,072; Patented Oct. 1, 1895.

ES E flvf/v T01?! gw FEEDER/0K 14 HEDGELAND,

ANDREW BIGRAHAMI PHOTOUTHOIWASNINGTUN. D C.

llNrrno TATES PATENT Church.

FREDERICK W. HEDGELAND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE TV. TV.KIMBALL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC DEVICE FOR CQNTROLLING ACTIONS OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 547,072, dated October1, 1895.

Application filed February 23, 1894- Serial No. 501,151. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. HEDGE- LAND, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Tmprovementin Electric Devicesfor Controlling Actions of Musical Instruments, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of electrical devices foroperating the actions of self-playing string and wind instruments.

The invention lies in the combination, with the moving perforated paper,strip, or belt commonly used in this class of instruments, of electricaldevices, substantially such as are hereinafter described, forcommunicating impulses to the action of the instrument in accordancewith the number, size, and location of the perforations in the strip.These electrical devices are fully set forth below and shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan of the moving strip,showin g also the closers for completing the various electric circuits.Fig. 2 is a vertical section Fig. 3 is a diamay be located whereverconvenient or desirable in the instrument and operated by any suitablemechanism. In its movement this strip is carried by or under a series ofcircuitclosers, one for each note or key of the instrument, and eachlocated in its own individual electric circuit, so that the severalclosers may be individually operated Without affecting any of the notesor keys of the instrument except the one to which it corresponds orbelongs. The closers are controlled by the band A, the perforationstherein allowing them to close their respective circuits and thus tosound their respective notes or keys and the imperforate portions of theband pre venting such action. The circuit-closers consist of a series ofsprings 13, provided with studs 1) and arranged side by side across theband A and mounted at one end upon a bar C, placed transversely of thepath of the paper. The studs are located near the free ends of thesprings and are each adapted to enter such of the perforations a in thepaper band or strip as lie in the same longitudinal plane with them, andthey are also adapted to ride upon the surface of the paper between suchperforations and to be lifted out of the perforations by the paper as itmoves along, the points of the studs being beveled or rounded tofacilitate this latter operation. When the studs drop into theperforations of the paper A, the free ends of their carrying-springs arebrought into close contact, as shown, with'a plate E, extending acrossthe series of closers, and the studs themselves rest upon aninsulating-strip g in a cross-bar G placed across the path of the movingpaper.

The bar G is made of metal, so it may not warp or be easily bent oraffected by the atmosphere, and its principal function is to maintainthe moving strip always in the same plane at the point where it passesthe studs and to sustain that portion of it which is required to liftthe studs out of the perforations, so that the studs may never fail tobe raised and the circuits be broken at the proper times. Of course anopposing surface, like the board H, should always be present to confinethe strip at the side opposite the bar G. With this construction it isonly necessary that the studs should enter the perforations a veryslight distance. if the movement is not greater than the thick nessofthe paper used for the strip A good results are obtained both in theworking of the instrument and in the avoidance of wear upon and injuryto the paper by the studs. The first of these advantages is due to thefact that the action is quickened over previous constructions, becausein the latter the studs are required to move much greater distances, insome cases as much as an inch, and the second is due to the ease withwhich the studs.

are lifted by the paper, the points not being allowed to passappreciably beyond the plane of the paper. There the studs are allowedto pass through and beyondthe paper, there is danger they may not getout of the way quickly enough to avoid tearing the paper, and as amatter of fact the paper strips used in such instruments are short livedand soon become useless; but with my invention they need never be tornand the wear upon them.

I have found in practice that is but slight. The insulating-strip gprevents any danger of the electric current being diverted or lost.

The springs and contact-plate E are electrically connected with abattery J or other source of electric energy, the plate being connectedto one pole thereof by the wire F and the springs being individuallyconnected thereto by wires D and a single wire K, to which all of saidwires D are joined. In each of the individual wires D, I place magnetsL, through the armatures of which the actions of the several keys ornotes of the instrument are permitted to be set in motionthat is to say,these armatures control the actuating devices, whereby the actions areoperated and allow those devices to perform their office whenever acurrent is received through the magnet by reason of the closing of thecircuit by the springs B and the plate E. A switch .M may be used tocontrol all the action-circuits.

I claim 1. The combination in a musical instrument of the perforatedstrip A, the series of springs B corresponding to the notes or keys ofthe instrument and each located in its own electric circuit and carryinga stud or pin 17, and a stationary contact plate E electricallyconnected with the springs, the springs and contact plate being locatedat the same side of the perforated strip, substantially as specified.

2. The combination in a musical instrument of the perforated strip A,the series of springs B carrying pins or studs adapted to enter theperforations of the strip and arranged side by side transversely of themoving strip, the springs corresponding to the notes or keys of theinstrument, the stationary contact plate E, located upon the same sideof the perforated strip with the springs, and the electric circuits inwhich the springs and plate are located, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of springs B, contact plate E, the electric circuitsin which said springs and plate are located, the pins upon the springs,the moving perforated strip, and an insulated stop device adapted toprevent the pins from entering too far within the perforated strip,substantially as specified.

4. The combination with the pins Z) of the circuit closers and theperforated strip, of the cross bar G having an insulating strip g,substantially as specified.

5. The combination in a musical instrument and with the perforated stripof circuit closers having studs adapted to enter the perforations in thestrip and also adapted to be lifted out of the perforations by themovement of the strip, of guides such as G and II for guiding andconfining the strip at the point where it passes the studs,substantially as specified.

FREDERICK \V. HEDGELAND.

Witnesses:

H. M. MUNDAY, EMMA HACK.

